Page:On the various forces of nature and their relations to each other.djvu/181

Rh take the half-rays on the one side, and could send them by any contrivance over to the other side, I should gain an advantage in light on the side to which I directed them. This is effected in a beautiful manner by the parabolic mirror, by means of which I gather all that portion of the rays which are included in it—upwards, downwards, sideways, anywhere within its sphere of action: they are all picked up and sent forward. You thus see what a beautiful and important invention is that of the parabolic reflector for throwing forward the rays of light.

Before I go further into the subject of reflection, let me point out a further mode of dealing with the direction of the light. For instance, here is a candle, and I can employ the principle of refraction to bend and direct the rays of light; and if I want to increase the light in any one direction, I must either take